Seneca County Weather Operations Plan

1. Seneca CountyWeather Operations Plan Dan StahlAdministrator Seneca County Department of Public Safety Hazardous Weather Course May 17-19, 2005 NOAA’s National Weather Service NOAA’s National Weather Service

2. Gearing Up for Action • Detect • Warn • Respond

3. Gearing Up for Action • Detect • Notification that a Severe Weather eventhas occurred or will occur • Issued by NWS in Cleveland • Event reported to authorities by a citizen • Event confirmed by a trained Skywarn Spotter • Confirm that local alerts are issued • Get the information flowing • Ham, Public Safety, Dispatch Facilities • Community sirens if necessary • Contact known gatherings of large crowds inside, outside events

4. Simultaneous Activities • The Crew • Skywarn • Public Safety Spotter • EOC Staff • All 3 can work simultaneously or individually • Skywarn may activate before the others • EOC Staff may already be in place • How do we make it work?

5. Simultaneous Activities • The Crew We will examine each group as individual entities and show how they work simultaneously to respond to Severe Weather

6. Gearing up for Action • Notified of Event – General Information • Knowledge of a probable threat • NWS issued Watch or Warning • Reaction to an issued Watch or Warning • Varies by group and type of Watch or Warning • Activation may hinge on a Warning in a nearby county • Key players are notified • Each group has a formal activation plan

7. Gearing up for Action • EOC the Entity • The EOC and “satellite” areaswill usually be the first automated systemto relay a Watch or Warning • Emails relayed from NOAA Weather Radios • Alpha / Numeric Pagers & cell phones • Internet email • Emails relayed from subscription services • Storm Now • Ohio EMA • Radio announcements • NOAA Weather Radio and Emergency Alert System (EAS) • Rebroadcast on EMA frequency

8. Gearing up for Action • EOC the Staff • During the work day • At the office • Within range • Usually monitoring the weather • Taking calls from Skywarn and Public Safety workers • Taking calls from the National Weather Service • Can easily initiate any Severe Weather action • All EOC staff have multiple qualifications • Trained emergency personnel • Amateur Radio operators

9. EOC Analysis • EOC the Staff • After the Severe Weather event • Evaluate the condition of the county • Further weather reports • Survey of responders • Damage reports • How bad are we? • Continue relief efforts if necessary • Close EOC and go home

10. EOC Analysis • Some Considerations for EOC • Type of event • Slow moving • Snowstorm • Ice • Winds • Flooding • Fast moving • Severe Thunderstorm • Tornado • Flash flooding • Unexpected conditions

11. EOC Analysis • Some Considerations for EMA Director • Activate EOC as Requested • EMA Director • An Incident Commander • A Public Safety Dispatch Entity (communications level) • Mayor • County Commissioner • Any individual or group with authority and needwhich is within the ability of the EMA Directorto respond and activate the EOC • Your activation criteria for EOC participation

12. EOC Analysis • Some Considerations for EMA Director • Switching Hats During an Event • Amateur Radio Operator • Skywarn • EOC • Skywarn • EOC • Usually you should pick yourposition and stay with it • Saves confusion • Keeps stress down

13. Gearing up for Action • Public Safety Responder • The Public Safety Responder is usuallyFire, EMS, and Law Enforcement • They can be notified in the usual automated ways • They can be contacted by telephone or two-way radio

14. Gearing up for Action • Public Safety Responder • Activation Criteria • Tornado Warning for Seneca County • Tornado Warning for an Adjacent County thatcould affect Seneca County • While under an existing Tornado Watch theNWS issues a Severe Thunderstorm Warningfor Seneca County • Imminent Danger from Severe Weather • “Something is going on…” • “Gut feeling” • Don’t put blinders on

15. Gearing up for Action • Public Safety Responder • During the work day • At home or work • Within range • May be monitoring the weather

16. Gearing up for Action • Public Safety Responder • Activate Public Safety Responder • ALL CALL – West / East on S.A.F.E. radio system • FYI: we are also simultaneously activatingAmateur Radio if not already active • Tell responders that Weather Information forSeneca County will be coordinated onSEN EOC public safety radio channel • Goal is to update every 15 minutes • Keep information going out to workers • Let’s them know we are active, working • Spotters notify EOC with their positions in the field • Pre-determined locations • Protection factor for personnel and resources

17. Gearing up for Action • Public Safety Responder • Spotters Report Weather Conditions • Call in to EOC on assigned channel • We set up an informal Public Safety Responder weather net • Net control is either an EOC staff or Skywarn Net Controller • Trained spotters know what Weather data we need • We use Skywarn criteria • Some spotters are not formally trained • How do we react to spotter reports? • Health & Welfare and Damage Reports • What gets action • Who handles each type of report

18. P. S. Responder Analysis • Public Safety Responder • After the Severe Weather event • Evaluate the condition of the county • Further weather reports • Survey of responders • Damage reports • How bad are we? • Continue relief efforts if necessary • Stand-down the spotters

19. P. S. Responder Analysis • Some Considerations –Public Safety Responder • Type of event • Slow moving • Public Safety Responders will probably nothave a formal weather net • They may be instructed to monitor the SEN EOC channel • Severe snowfall, ice storms and disruptive winter weathermay require some type of formal net to manage recovery and resources • Fast moving • Placement of resources in the field helps with weather reports • Disbursing resources can lower possibility of damage from storm • Unexpected conditions • As needed activation

20. Gearing up for Action • Skywarn Responder • The Amateur Radio Skywarn Responder • They can be notified in the usual automated ways • They can be contacted by telephone or two-way radio

21. Gearing up for Action • Skywarn Responder • During the work day • At their home or work • Within range • May be monitoring the weather • Are usually the most active of the Severe Weather observers

22. Gearing up for Action • Skywarn Responder • Activate Skywarn Responder • County-wide Skywarn Net on the local repeater / SIMPLEX system • Any Amateur Radio operator knowledgeable of net procedure may activate the net as Net Control • on a temporary basis (until other help arrives) • Permanent basis (until Severe Weather abates) • FYI: we simultaneously activatePublic Safety Responders

23. Gearing up for Action • Skywarn Responder • Activate Skywarn Responder • Skywarn Net “Condition” Levels determine severity • “Green,” “Yellow,” and “Red” • Goal is to update net members every 15 minutes • Keep information going out to workers • Spotters notify Net Control with their positions in the field • Hams can be mobile or stationary • Hams might be requested to report to EOC for duty

24. Gearing up for Action • Skywarn Responder • Spotters Report Weather Conditions • Weather reports are relayed to our District Skywarn Netwhich relays them immediately to NWS in Cleveland • Check with adjacent counties toresearch weather headed our way • Advise counties that will get “our” weatherwhen it moves through and out of our county • Seneca County Skywarn might be enlistedto relay weather reports from other counties • Amateur Radio also relays Public Safety Responder weather reports

25. Gearing up for Action • Skywarn Responder • Trained spotters know what Weather data we need • We use the District-accepted Skywarn criteria • Some spotters may not be formally trained • How do we react to spotter reports? • No “fair weather” reports • Health & Welfare and Damage Reports • What gets action • Who handles each type of report

26. Skywarn Analysis • Skywarn Responder • After the Severe Weather event • Evaluate the condition of the county • Further weather reports • Survey of Skywarn responders • Damage reports • How bad are we? • Continue relief efforts if necessary • Stand-down the Skywarn spotters • Deactivate the Skywarn Net

27. Skywarn Analysis • Some Considerations – Skywarn Responder • Type of event • Slow moving • Nets might not be necessary if weather does not meet criteria • We might still be on the radio discussing weatherand giving occasional weather bulletins • Fast moving “expected” weather • Nets may need to be activated immediately withoutpersonnel being located at the EOC • Some nets may immediately be at the “Red” condition level • Unexpected conditions • Pop-up storms may require immediate activation

28. Gearing up for Action • Be Prepared! Practice Practice Practice